Of the four Lipman books I've read, this was my least favorite. The characters were less likable - which I think was intentional, and worked - and the characters I DID like didn't have enough page time. Still, it's a fun read, and recommendable like her other books. I would just recommend her other books before this one. ;) ( )

This author was highly recommended to me. I bought the book and it took me a long time to get through it. It wasn't the kind of book that I couldn't put down, even though I liked the ending and thought it was well written. I had either no understanding of or no appreciation of what the main character was going through. In her position, I may have made the same decisions that she made, but being me I thought some of the decisions that she made were strange. Reminding myself that this is a book and not real life, I enjoyed one of the male supporting characters. I would love to have him as a friend. I also liked the woman across the hall. I thought she was a very real character. Once she was introduced in the story, the book took on a different feeling. She helped carry the story or move it along, but the story was rather flat without her ( )

Dr. Alice Thrift doesn't excel at interpersonal communication. Actually, that's putting it lightly. She's an intern who wants to become a surgeon, works long hours, and takes everything seriously. When Ray Russo, a former near-patient for a nose job, starts calling her and asking her out, she's rather flattered and can't quite see how this could go wrong, despite the advice of everyone around her.

I was in the mood for something light and knew an Elinor Lipman book would fit the bill. Despite, or perhaps because of, her serious nature, Alice was a really fun heroine. I'm not so great at reading people either, but even I was a step ahead of Alice and sometimes laughing at her naivete. She tells you on the very first page that her relationship with Ray doesn't work out, so reading this felt kind of like watching a car wreck - you just can't look away. ( )

I’ve read some reviews where the reviewer didn’t like Alice Thrift. I could not understand. I thought Alice was the most amusing character I’ve read in a long time. She’s so gauche, so left-footed, so lacking in any social skills that I just had to love her. And witnessing her metamorphosis, with the help of her former roommate and her neighbor, was a pure delight. I don’t think she’ll ever be the world’s best conversationalist, but she certainly learned to hold her own throughout the story.

Elinor Lipman has written an extremely funny story about Alice Thrift, M.D. She is pursued by the fast-talking Ray Russo and it’s pretty obvious from the outset that Mr. Russo is a liar and a cheat. But the story is so humorous and told so well, I just kept turning pages to see how Alice was going to get off probation at the hospital and how Ray Russo was going to get what was coming to him. The ending of the story did not disappoint! I’ve enjoyed all the books I’ve read by Elinor Lipman, but I think perhaps this was my favorite. ( )

Chick Lit. Unquestionably. Does that automatically make it bad? No, I don't think so. I guess the main negative aspect was the predictability of the outcome and the lack of character depths. However, it was quite a pleasant read, and I guess there was an element of reality, at least in terms of my (unreal?) life. That is, the idea that a person might stupidly allow themselves to be drawn into a relationship which anyone could see wasn't going to work, just because the person wants to feel needed. I needed a fairly lightweight book after my previous one (The Poisonwood Bible), and this performed that role admirably. I liked Lipman's style (this was my first taste of Elinor Lipman) enough to make me start another of hers - "My Latest Grievance". I'll see how that compares before I start making judgments about the author. After all, she's a favorite author of one of my favorite readers! ( )

You may have seen us in "Vows" in the New York Times: me, alone, smoking a cigarette and contemplating my crossed ankles, and a larger blurry shot of us, postceremony, ducking and squinting through a hail of birdseed.

Wikipedia in English (1)

Poor Alice Thrift, book-smart but people-hopeless. Alice graduated second in her class at medical school, but her people skills are described as 'hypothermic'. When Ray Russo, a social-climbing fudge salesman, dedicates himself to her romantic pursuit, Alice's bedside manner begins to thaw.… (more)